Johnson City Council approves $5.4M Ash Street Courthouse renovation change order

The Johnson City Board of Commissioners meeting on February 6, 2025, focused on significant developments regarding the Ash Street Courthouse renovation and zoning changes in the city.

A key discussion point was a change order request from Burwell Construction for the courthouse project. Facilities Director Brian Ross presented the request, which aimed to finalize the project's budget. The initial design-build agreement was set at $5 million, but after further development of construction drawings, an additional $500,000 was requested. The final cost of the project came to $5,443,974, which remains under the revised budget. The initial funding was sourced from a grant provided by the governor.

Following this discussion, the commissioners moved to approve the change order request without any objections.

The meeting also included the first reading of an ordinance to amend the zoning map of Johnson City. The proposal seeks to change the designation of a property on Buffalo Road from an I-2 heavy industrial district to an R-3 medium density residential district. Bryce McNamer from the development services department presented this zoning change, indicating a shift towards more residential development in the area.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the city's ongoing efforts to manage construction projects effectively while also addressing zoning needs to accommodate residential growth. The next steps will involve further discussions and approvals regarding the zoning amendment.